"It's... It's her again!" Evelina screamed as she swung her hand and threw the box with the head off the desk.

'She just keeps ruining everything!' Evelina cursed Angelina madly. She looked at the decapitated head that had rolled out of the box and felt sick. Blood was still dripping and the cut of the neck looked horrific. Evelina almost couldn't stop herself from vomiting.

"Get... Get this thing out of my sight!" Evelina impatiently ordered Lia. Lia, though scared and reluctant, obediently took the birthday gift out to dispose of it.

************

Angelina hummed on her way to her room. Everything is going according to plan. All she needed to do now was get closer to the imperial family. The rest will fall into place soon.

One might think it isn't wise to provoke Evelina because of the threat written on the note given to Rienne. But Angelina knew Evelina was merely bluffing. Lia is useful in some cases. She would do anything Evelina ordered for her to do as long as she has the ability to. But killing a person is not one of them.

Evelina no longer has Carol. Without Carol, she can't really do much except for threatening. Lia might just be as ruthless as Carol. But she isn't as strong...

After some digging, Angelina found some information on Carol's background. Carol had worked for the Skyler family for years, but she planned to quit and become a knight instead. But all those plans were thrown away after she became Evelina's first rank maid. Carol didn't know what she was getting herself into when she was chosen.

The first time Evelina gave her those heartless orders Carol was reluctant. But she couldn't refuse. Evelina had people secretly kidnap her family and keep them as hostages. She told her that her family would only be freed after Evelina had achieved her ultimate goal. But in truth Evelina had given orders to kill the family after Carol had agreed to loyally serve her.

Reading the reports of the investigation, Angelina probably should've felt a trace of a pity. But she didn't. Why should she?

However these reports answer the question Angelina had. She had always wondered how Carol was so proficient in martial arts...

And as for Evelina's other "helpers"... Well they've already been taken care of.

************

In the end, Evelina didn't come out of her room. The duke, who would usually come to console her, didn't even bother to. He was simply too busy. He had to deal with the humiliation he got on Rienne's birthday, as well as his most troublesome daughter. Alex tried to convince Evelina to let him inside, but she kept refusing and he had no other choice but to leave.

The whole Skyler estate was shrouded with a gloomy air. Only Angelina was able to keep her good mood.

She'd spent her days attending parties and even would occasionally visit the imperial palace to accompany the little princess to play. She would always keep a cherry smile on her face. The nobles wondered the reason for her joyful mood. Well the reason is that the imperial family were slowly growing closer to her and  letting down their guard.

Step one, gaining the princess's full trust. Angelina would play and entertain Elizabeth everyday until she had completely won over Elizabeth's friendship. This step was completed easily. After all, Elizabeth already had quite the favorable impression of her.

Step two, win over the two prince's favor. This was also a success. Elizabeth would host a small picnic in the imperial garden and would always invite her two older brothers. Angelina used this to her advantage. The second prince has a weird obsession with studying insects, thus Angelina decided to learn about them. Leon was impressed by her knowledge and was quickly won over. Now he would often have little spats with Elizabeth on who gets to spend time with Angelina. It was really amusing to witness.

Though Angelina did not enjoy collecting and studying insects, she had to endure.

Next, the crown prince. Angelina knew this would be slightly difficult. The crown prince is a quiet, disciplined, and strict person. Nothing interests him aside from politics, poems, and books. She studied dilegently and would read difficult books in front of him. But he remained indifferent, only glancing at her a few times.

He paid more attention to her when she composed poems but still remained distant. It wasn't until Angelina brought up the state of the empire and her opinion on how to improve it, was he willing to put down his book and discuss with her. Angelina finally gained his favor. He was impressed and enjoyed discussing multiple affairs with her. He learned that she and him shared many of the same opinions and thoughts. Ever since that day, the two would compose poems togther and grew much closer.

Angelina could not stop herself from letting out a sigh of relief when she finally cracked the puzzle she was stuck on for so many days.

The final step is to get closer to the emperor and empress. This would be much easier as she was very close to them in her past life. She knew their preference, it's only a matter of executing it perfectly.

************

Four people could be seen sitting on a picnic blanket by a large pond, talking harmoniously and giggling together. Two girls and two boys. Two are holding a book, one is holding a scroll of paper and a quill. The youngest is holding a cute doll. Before them is a tea set and a few plates of delicious pastries.

It's clear by the delightful air around them that the four are quite close.

Elizabeth stared intently at her second brother that was sticking close to Angelina and showing the book he's holding.

"Leon! Stop troubling sister Lina! No one cares about how beetles poop! Don't you know that she came here to play with me!" Elizabeth held Angelina's arm and tried to pull her closer to herself.

"First, Lizzy, I'm your older brother, you can't call me by my name! Second, people do care! Sister Lina is interested! You wouldn't understand. Only sister Lina understands how fascinating the world of insects is! Third, she used to come here for you. Now she comes for me!" Leon replied and clunged to Angelina's arm as well.

"Bah! I don't believe you! Sister Lina is merely too nice so she listens to your nonsense!" Elizabeth pinched hard on Leon's hand that was holding onto Angelina's arm, forcing him to let go.

As the two entered another round of squabbles, the crown prince, Alistair, looked to Angelina with an apolegstic expression.

"Hah... Sorry for letting you see this, Angelina. I have let you see a joke." He sighed. Why can't his two siblings just behave for even once...

"Pfft... It's alright, your highness. I very much enjoy spending time with them. They're always very amusing and fun to be around. I quite envy your highness for being blessed with such adorable siblings." Angelina chuckled as she put down the scroll and quill she was holding and carefully poured more tea into her teacup.

"A-adorable...?" For the first time in so long, the great crown prince was completely stupefied. His siblings who always behave like a pair of little beasts instead of royalty were called... Adorable?

But before he could ask her to repeat her words, a palace maid politely announced that it was about time for their afternoon meal. Usually, this would be the time when Angelina would bid her goodbyes and leave to return to the Skyler estate. But...

"Sister Lina, don't go yet! Why don't you join us this time?" Elizabeth immediately stopped fighting Leon and hugged Angelina, unwilling to see her leave.

"What? I don't dare..." Angelina feigned shock and forced a humble appearence, though she was cheering Elizabeth's name in her heart.

"Yeah, join us! The imperial chef always makes amazing food! You'll love it!" Leon agreed.

"But..." Angelina turned to Alistair and saw him nod with words of permission falling out of his mouth. Then I have no reason to refuse." She smiled and looked at the three with a gentle gaze.

' Thank you everyone. You just made my plan so much easier... '

************

"Oh well isn't this a surprise." The emperor let out a soft laugh and he took his seat in the palace dining room.

"It's alright if sister Lina joins us, right father? Please!" Elizabeth pleaded, holding Angelina's hand as she entered the dining room.

"Of course it's alright. Come take a seat lady Angelina." The empress nodded. She gestured for Angelina to come over and take a seat close to her.

"Thank you, your majesties. This humble one is honored." Angelina flashed the empress a blinding smile and bowed respectfully. Then she gracefully took her seat and sat in the way a true proper noble woman should. The empress was moved by her elegant air and glanced at her three children with a look of approval.

"Lizzy, you seem cheerier than usual. You must be having an enjoyable time with lady Angelina these days." The emperor laughed. On most days, Elizabeth would put on a bored face. She always seemed so unmused. But recently, she's been laughing and smiling more. The emperor couldn't be more happier seeing this. His dear daughter was happy, how could he not?

"Yeah! Sister Lina's the best! Playing with her is so much better than playing with Leon!" Elizabeth jumped into her seat and declared.

"Rude!" Leon intruded.

"It's not only me! Leon and eldest brother enjoy playing with sister Lina too! Eldest brother would always turn up with a stack of books to study together!" Elizabeth ignored her second older brother as if he was air.

Hearing her words, the emperor and empress were shocked. Their cold eldest son that seldom speaking to others aside from family members even during gathering events, actually did that!?

"Alistair?" The emperor looked at his eldest with amazement.

"... Angelina is very delightful to discuss with. She's very insightful and talented." He said with a straight face.

"Is that so..." The empress glanced at the gorgeous Angelina.

"Yeah! When sister Lina and brother speak about something, I can't even keep up!" Leon expressed.

"That's because your dumb." Elizabeth smirked.

"What!? Y-your dumber!" Leon's face turned red by his younger sister's words and rushed to retaliate. But alas his sister paid him no heed and merely looked away with a cheeky grin spread across the childish face.

"I don't doubt your judgement, Alistair. Lady Angelina is very skilled in embroidery and painting." The emperor turned to Angelina, "The portrait you gave Lizzy on her birthday still stuns me everytime I pass by it in the hall. Lady Angelina's ability could even be compared to my wife's."

"Thank you for your praise, your majesty. But I could never match her majesty's skill in painting. Her majesty's works are what inspired me to learn." Angelina humbled herself and didn't forget to curry favor with the empress.

"Oh my..." The empress chuckled, very pleased. No one dislikes being praised.

"But sister Lina, you are very talented. The poem you composed earlier is amazing!" Elizabeth commended before taking out a scroll of paper from nowhere.

'That's... How did she get that? Didn't I hand it to Marie outside earlier?' Angelina was stunned. But she didn't try to stop it. This is good. Originally, Angelina wanted to bring up the topic of poems and volunteer to compose for the empress. But this will do just fine.

Elizabeth stepped off her chair and walked to her mother with the paper in her hand. The empress grew curiouser and curiouser as Elizabeth approached. She took the scroll of paper from her little daughter's hands carefully and examined it.

The handwriting is elegant and gives off a certain charm. It could be seen clearly that every letter and stroke was written meticulously and with great care.

"There is a beauty, with brows as beautiful as the spring willow’s branch, eyes as charming as a sea of stars; face just like the peach blossoms of March, her smile like many flowers in bloom. Her appearance and fragrance is as aromatic as that of a flower. Slender waist, alluring presence; graceful figure like that could compete with the sun at noon." The empress grew more and more satisfied as she read out loud the poem.

After finishing, she turned to lay her eyes upon the wonderful poem's writer and asked, "You wrote this? Is there a certain person you wrote this for?"

Angelina showed a slightly shy appearence as she answered, "Yes, actually. This poem is for my mother."